Garbage and Fishing Gear Piling Up, a Headache for Handling at the Scene
In an effort to prevent fishermen from indiscriminately disposing of waste and fishing gear during operations, a collection project is underway.
Although the amount of collected waste has been increasing recently, the failure to handle it in a timely manner is causing a headache at the scene.
Here’s Kim Dong-eun with the report from Jeju.
Reporter: This is the largest collection site in Jeju’s Seodaehang Port.
The collection site is filled to capacity, with pallets and various waste materials scattered even outside.
These are the collected waste and fishing gear during operations.
Fishermen receive KRW 30,000 per pallet for collecting and bringing in such waste and gear.
Particularly this year, with the inclusion of waste collection and removal performance in the standard for fishery livelihood subsidies, the amount being brought in has increased further.
Reporter: About 5 tons of waste are sent to private companies for processing each day, but they are struggling to cope with the overwhelming quantity.
Inside this collection site, various waste materials pile up, and as a result, outside is filled not only with waste fishing gear but also with household garbage.
Due to the entangled waste materials, illegal dumping of general waste, which is prohibited, is also occurring.
While we manage to control the disposal of general waste during the day, there is no way to stop it at night.
Due to the overflowing waste, the collection site operation at the cooperative has been temporarily suspended since last month.
Reporter: The problem is that although the amount of waste to be collected is expected to increase in the future, there is no proper solution.
Last year’s collection performance increased by over 200 tons compared to two years ago, and it is estimated to increase even more this year.
However, 60% of the allocated budget for this year has already been depleted.
As there is a high possibility of waste and fishing gear being discarded into the sea if there is a disruption in the collection project, it is urgent to secure additional budget and develop swift handling measures.
This was Kim Dong-eun reporting for JIBS.
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